Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Dialogue of Putin with Russian citizens attracted the attention of 25% of Russians. The dialogue is assessed as being interesting; the most disturbing question is the housing sector.

MOSCOW, May 24, 2013. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning how many Russians followed the televised Q&A conference held on April 25; how they assess the dialogue with the nation, and what questions and answers Russians remembered most.

More than half of Russians followed the live dialogue of Putin with the nation (52%): 13% watched it attentively from the beginning to the end; 26% watched only parts of the dialogue; 13% learnt about the basic points from the news. Forty-seven percent of Russians did not pay attention to the dialogue of Putin with the nation.

Those who paid attention to the Putin`s dialogue are mainly elderly respondents (67%), Muscovites and St.Petersburgians (63%).   Those who did not pay much attention are Russians aged 18-24 (62%).

Persons who watched the dialogue live or through news editions assess it positively: 18% say the dialogue was interesting; 42% liked certain topics.   Thirteen percent cite that the Direct Line was interesting but too long; the same share of respondents say that the dialogue was boring.  Twelve percent of Russians say that they got irritated.

Most of those who watched the Direct Line are satisfied with it (54%, a year ago – 51%).  They are basically supporters of United Russia party (70%), elderly respondents (60%). Thirty-five percent of Russians assess the dialogue with the nation negatively; they are mainly residents of big and middle cities (41-44%).

The problem of housing sector is one of the most important questions under discussion (23% mentioned questions and answers devoted to this issue). Russians also remember what was said about the pension provision (8%), fight against corruption (7%), Chubais (6%), increase in salaries (5%), about maternity capital and the Oboronservis Case  ( 4%, for each) et cet. 

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on April 27-28, 2013. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 130 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

Did you follow the Direct Line with the president of Russia? (close-ended question, one answer)  

 

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

Yes, I followed attentively the Direct Line with V. Putin from the beginning to the end

22

23

15

17

15

11

10

13

Yes, I saw parts of Direct line on TV

32

33

33

30

28

30

30

26

Yes, I learnt about the basic questions and Putin`s answers from TV news, newspapers and the Internet

12

16

16

16

12

17

13

13

No, I did not follow the dialogue

34

28

35

36

43

40

46

47

Hard to tell

0

0

1

1

2

1

2

2

Which of the following statements best describe your impressions of the Direct Line with V. Putin?

 (close-ended question, one answer, % of those who followed the Direct Line)*

 

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

I was interested in the entire discussion  

28

27

36

31

27

25

21

18

I was interested in several topics of the discussion

46

44

41

46

42

42

40

42

The Direct Line was interesting but too long

6

8

9

7

10

11

12

13

It was boring; the Direct Line did not impress me  

9

6

6

5

8

8

12

13

Nothing but disappointment and irritation

6

4

4

4

7

9

9

12

Hard to tell

4

11

4

7

6

5

6

1

Are you satisfied with the way Putin answered the questions?

 (close-ended question, one answer, % of those who followed the Direct Line)

 

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

Rather satisfied

73

73

78

75

73

68

57

54

Rather not satisfied

21

14

12

14

18

23

29

35

Hard to tell

6

13

10

10

9

9

14

10

What questions and answers have stuck in your memory? Name two or three of them.

 (open-ended question, not more than three answers)

Housing sector

23

Pension provision

8

Fight against corruption

7

Chubais

6

Salary increase

5

Maternity capital, children benefits, helping large families

4

Oboronservis case

4

Economic development, price regulation

3

Social policies

3

Health care system

3

Education

3

Situation in the army

2

 Many different questions

2

Affordable housing

2

Adoption of children

2

Fight against crime

2

Industry and agriculture

1

Poor roads

1

How to become a president

1

About Berezovsky letters

1

Fight against unemployment

1

Invitation of Kudrin back to the government

1

Olympic Games

1

State of youth, youth policies

1

Foreign politics

1

Death penalty

1

Opposition and Navalny

1

Development of science

1

Perspectives of country`s development

1

Visiting Prokhorovka

1

Lack of specifics in the answers

4

Other

4

Nothing

28

Hard to tell

4

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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